Solid Oxide Fuel Cells with 3D Inkjet Printing Modified LSM-YSZ Interface

Abstract

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) have drawn attention as an alternative power generation technology due to demonstrated high efficiency and low emissions. The lanthanum strontium manganite (LSM)-yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) cathode is utilized widely for SOFCs due to its high performance and stability. The electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction that occurs in the cathode can be enhanced by the porous LSM-YSZ cathode with good electronic and ionic conductivity. With sufficient electrochemically active reaction sites, the oxygen ion transfer processes in the mixed ionic conductor (YSZ) and at the interface of cathode and electrolyte (LSM-YSZ) become critical for the activity of the cathode. Thus, the pillar shape YSZ microstructure with ~ 150 μm×150 μm×10 μm (L×W×H) size can be fabricated by 3D inkjet printing on the interface of electrolyte and cathode to increase the TPB area and enhance the connection between the dense YSZ electrolyte and mixed YSZ ionic conductor. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) is utilized to assess the morphology and microstructure of the YSZ interface. To investigate the influence of the modified interface on the performance of the SOFC, electrochemical performance testing and characterization are conducted for the SOFCs with/without the modified YSZ layer. The microstructures with different pillar central spacing are also fabricated by 3D inkjet printer to optimize the geometry of the LSM-YSZ interface.